Writers working in the browser — in Google Docs, Notion, blogging platforms, or plain-text editors — face a specific challenge: the same browser that hosts their writing also hosts every distraction. Here is a setup that minimizes distraction while keeping writing tools accessible.
Replace the new tab with your writing priorities
Every new tab opens an opportunity for distraction — a quick news check, a Twitter scroll, a video recommendation. Replace this with your writing work.
Daily Planner — your writing tasks on every new tab. "Draft introduction," "Edit section 2," "Research claim about X." Every new tab opens your work, not a distraction feed.
Grammar checking without leaving the page
AI Writing Assistant — grammar checking in Firefox that runs locally. Right-click selected text, choose the assistant, see suggestions — without opening a separate tool or sending the text to a cloud service.
Voice capture for drafting blocks
Voice Notes — speak a paragraph or section outline when typing feels slow. Speaking often breaks through drafting blocks. The audio is a reference for the written version.
Research tabs organized per piece
Tab Manager — separate research contexts for each piece.
Before writing, save your research tabs as "[Article title] sources." During writing, close all unneeded tabs. The research context is safe to restore if you need to verify a fact.
Writing habit tracking
Habit Tracker — a daily check-in on the new tab. Track "wrote 500 words," "edited for 1 hour," or simply "wrote today." The monthly grid makes consistency visible.
Dark mode for evening writing
NightOwl — automatic dark mode at sunset. Many writers work in the evening; dark mode reduces eye strain during long writing sessions.
News without distraction
News Widget Dashboard — if you need to stay current with news for research or reference, RSS puts headlines from your chosen sources on the new tab. No algorithmic feed, no rabbit holes.
All are part of a series of 11 Firefox extensions I built — see the full series.
